Like it or not, Leeds United probably have an unpopular £10m player coming back soon and – See

Soccer Football – Premier League – Leeds United v Wolverhampton Wanderers – Elland Road, Leeds, Britain – August 6, 2022 Leeds United’s Brenden Aaronson celebrates scoring his second goal with Rasmus Kristensen REUTERS/Craig Brough EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No unauthorized use of audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online use during the match is limited to 75 images, without video emulation. Not used in single club/league/player betting, games or publications. Please contact your account representative for more details.

Leeds United will have Brenden Aaronson back in the squad for next season, with Rasmus Kristensen likely to find himself in the same position.

Losing to Southampton in the play-off final has of course had ramifications in the transfer market for Leeds, but one unique situation the Whites have compared to other relegated sides who have not returned straight away is loan players.

After exercising temporary leave clauses in 23/24, few have done enough to warrant a permanent approach at a fee acceptable to the clubs concerned.

Brenden Aaronson will return to Leeds for next season

Graham Smyth of the Yorkshire Evening Post revealed this week that Leeds expect Brenden Aaronson to be reinstated into the squad for the 24/25 season.

After his loan at Union Berlin came to an end this month, Aaronson finds himself unable to secure a permanent exit from Elland Road, meaning a return to Leeds is the best option going forward.

Two years on from his £25m move from Red Bull Salzburg, Aaronson’s amortized transfer fee currently stands at £15m, meaning Leeds would demand such bid to avoid losing the 23-year-old.

Happy to have Aaronson back?

Rasmus Kristensen is likely to join as well based on the same Aaronson logic

The reasons behind Aaronson’s return to Elland Road this season appear to go beyond fans’ displeasure with the decision.

That said: his transfer value didn’t rise enough after his time in Berlin, the player himself realized that a year in the EFL could be really beneficial (see Firpo, Rutter etc) and Leeds could complete the team in a cost-effective manner.

Adding a brilliant pressing midfielder in a position that has been crying out for it all season makes a lot of sense, and with Leeds not having to spend a penny, makes it more of a viable solution.

So you can apply the same logic to the depthless right-back position, with Archie Gray having to cover despite being a generational box-to-box talent.

Rasmus Kristensen’s spell at Roma has been similarly disappointing and he may look to the EFL as a means of getting back to his best at a camp where attacking contribution is his main focus, as he formerly for Red Bull Salzburg when he looked brilliant and convinced most Leeds fans that he was the man to take us forward.

Again, he wouldn’t be a popular addition to many, justifiably so, but he fills a void in defense with Cody Drameh, Luke Ayling and Connor Roberts exiting – while he’s certainly a reliable option in the second tier, just like Junior Firpo was on the left.